The Las Tunas Leñadores are the defending champions of Cuban Baseball and they have been for longer than usual. They captured their third title since 2019 and overall in July 2024. This should have qualified them and the other top 5 squads of the National Series to compete in the Elite League this past October.
The Elite League was postponed until the spring of 2025. This was explained as returning to previous schedule structures and to better align with other Caribbean leagues. More likely the Cuban Baseball Federation was apprised of the dire state of the island if not able to predict that just two days later the Islands power grid would collapse and plunge the entire island into darkness.
The oil powered archaic infrastructure has rebounded slightly, backstopped by reserves from Mexico, however rolling blackouts are common with an unease that the next collapse is the big one. Cuba has always been resilient and ingenuitive. Scarcity has always been abundant but post Covid has tested this resilience like nothing before.
Anyone who is shocked by the current situation in Cuba hasn’t been paying attention, but yet somehow it is still jarring. I did not visit Cuba in 2024, not exclusively because of the uncertainty but it certainly contributed. The lack of baseball during my typical travel window wasn’t a deal breaker as my journeys now revolve more around personal relationships, but it was tough to find the motivation or the right time.
It was tough to view from afar, and although digital communication is easier and I did send monetary support when able, it’s not the same as being there. I lost key members of the “Real Esquina Caliente” my close group of baseball fans I meet with in a small park in Vedado. Antonio and Fausto both passed both were in their early 70s and had been battling nagging ailments so again I couldn’t be shocked but it was still jarring.
I have a growing morbid awareness of Cuba. My last trip to Cuba in August of 2023 included bucket list moments in attending the National Series final but it was a taxing trip. The logistics although always arduous seemed to foretell the increasing hardship the island would experience. As I said goodbye to my local friends including Antonio and Fausto some part of me felt some finality or at least the most drained I had felt after one of my trips.
The reality Cuba has been on this path since 1959 and Fidel’s revolution. The United States embargo is used as a crutch for all that ails Cuba. Make no mistake, it is a major contributor and arguably the most absurd artifact of the Cold War. There is no political will from any American party to revoke this. Of course we’ve seen lessening of sanctions and thawing of relations only for quick reversal come inauguration day in Washington. The hardline has typically been denounce communism, reform the economy and talks can open. Both camps are firmly entrenched in their ideals, this is nothing new.
Perhaps what is new or at least in scale is the liquidity crunch Cuba is facing. The U.S. embargo and Cuba’s response to it effectively makes Cuba persona non grata in the world economy and more importantly in the credit economy. They have to operate on a cash in cash out basis. Shutting down their main economic driver, tourism during Covid means that although never flush with cash, they could always find away to generate enough to keep the lights on.
We’re six years past a tentative agreement to create a legal path for Cubans to play in MLB rising and falling. That structure would have guaranteed top talent develop in Cuba while infusing cash into the Cuban structure. That deal will likely never be revisited, MLB has no incentive. MLB teams still get the Cuban players they want and more often at costs that are team friendly. This talent drain is obvious when we see Yordan Alvarez or Adolis Garcia winning ALCS MVP honours but those are the success stories. Success though is now being gauged less by batting average or bonus amounts but by purely starting life somewhere other than Cuba.
Baseball players leaving has always been on the vanguard of Cuban outflows but since 2022 some speculate Cuba’s population has dropped from twelve million to 8.5 million. An entire cohort of top hard ball talent leaving is old news at this point but they are being followed by swaths of productive workers. Cuba’s demographics are shifting and not in a good way. Although most Cubans don’t own cars many remaining also can’t walk as they are likely either geriatrics or toddlers.
With all that negativity as the backdrop is there some positivity ahead? The Third Cuban Elite League of baseball is set to start on March 15th. After close to nine months in the dark shadows of day to day struggle will baseball recapture the imagination and the attention of the average Cuban?
The six squads will consist of Ciego de Avila, Granma, Industriales, Las Tunas, Pinar del Rio and Santiago. The rosters will consist largely of returning provincial players with each team adding 10 reinforcements. Players may also be added or subtracted as commitments to pro leagues such as the case with Frank Herrera heading to Italy will dictate. We will also see familiar names return as Yasmany Tomas has indicated his commitment to Industriales while Alexei Ramirez will once again rejoin Pinar del Rio.
It was an interesting offseason from a personnel standpoint as we saw many and sometimes confounding moves. Ciego de Avila will look different at least to start as news broke Osvaldo Vazquez and others would ask for their release. This was spearheaded by meagre wages or the ability to make the same 3500 pesos pushing a broom over swinging a bat. The pressure has resulted in a raise to a reported 8500 pesos but at the current street market exchange rate of 340 pesos to $1 U.S this means players are still living off of $25 a month.
Granma hurler Leandro Martinez was suspended for unknown reasons. The light tossing veteran who might be Cuba’s version of Jamie Moyer likely doesn’t have much time left at the top level. A year off does him no favours but at the same time Cuba doesn’t have the overall pitching depth to make examples of previously loyal National Series standouts.
Yosvani Peñalver has worked his way back to Industriales. The veteran was blocked in another puzzling move be it punishment for exploring legal paths off the island or just not being in lock step with provincial leadership. He figures to slot back into Right Field and near the top of the lineup for Havana who still had to use a replacement pick to bring this key piece back into the fold. The Lions also thought they had a key reinforcement in Erisbel Arruebarrena who figured to solidify Short Stop and the middle of the lineup. Unfortunately he instead will rehab an injury and forego the Elite League.
Baseball will return to Cuba and some might scoff at the title Elite. The table is at least set for Cuba’s pastime to provide a small escape from the current realities. Although for many the current game is a tough reminder of the past. Limited information is available currently on television broadcasts or availability off the island, but I will aim to track and share this when available. Cuba endures despite being in a proverbial two strike count and baseball has long been analogous for the spirit and enduring nature of the Cuban people. Despite patchy grass and lack of artificial lighting and while stadium infrastructure erodes the game still goes on. Baseball in Cuba is both an attraction and a distraction and hopefully the 3rd Elite League can act as both.
